1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to the field of athletic socks, and more particularly to a sock which simulates the appearance of a stirrup being worn over the sock as used in baseball uniforms.
2. Description of the Related Art
A stirrup garment has been a part of the uniform in the game of baseball for many years. The stirrup is a covering for the shin and calf portion of the leg of the player and is partly held in place by its characteristic strap passing under the arch of the foot. It has been used by all classes of baseball players where a uniform is worn and may be used by softball players as well.
Although the traditional stirrup worn over the sock is appreciated for its appearance, it has a number of disadvantages as addressed and corrected by the invention herein disclosed.
One quite obvious drawback is that purchasing both a stirrup and a sock is expensive. A second recognized problem is that donning a stirrup over a sock is difficult because of the need to overcome both the bulk and the friction, especially for children. This bulk factor makes donning the shoe over both garments difficult and can interfere with proper fit and comfort. In addition, since the stirrup is not anchored over the toe, there is a risk that the stirrup can slip out of the heel area of the shoe and be an uncontained loop which could get caught on a base, a bat, or the foot of a player.
The problems pertain especially to the use of stirrups over socks by young baseball and softball players such as those who play in the Little League, Babe Ruth League, etc. These young baseball players also may tend to lose various parts of their uniform thus indicating a need for simplification. As can be readily appreciated, the youth baseball and softball uniform business entails a very significant, if not the dominant part of the market in uniform manufacture and sales. Virtually every town has its Little League team and cities often have many teams each. A significant number of players appear to like to display the appearance of a stirrup before other players both before and after they don their full uniform.
The discussion above focused on the problems of a separate stirrup to go over a sock from the perspective of the wearer. There are also a number of disadvantages for the manufacturer as well. To produce a stirrup, it is first necessary to knit a sock-like garment. Next, the parts that would be the toe and the heel are cut away, leaving a strap which will fit under the arch of the wearer. In order to avoid fraying of the cut knit edges, the edges are overstitched in another operation. Thus, a three step process is required to make this piece, as distinct from the manufacturing process for a sock which takes only knitting of the sock body and stitching the toe closed. Additionally, the fabric which is cut away to produce the stirrup straps is wasted.
In prior attempts to provide the desired stirrup-like appearance and to alleviate the problems enunciated above, socks have been produced to incorporate a side stripe for a stirrup-like look. Others have added a band around the top, creating a "T" pattern. A significant feature of the separate stirrup which is inherent in the characteristic look of a stirrup is the curvature at the top of the cut openings which creates a gradual taper from the calf portion to the straps. Both these prior styles of combination garment fail to accurately emulate the curved appearance of traditional stirrups. Hence, the previously available simulated stirrup over socks have been aesthetically unappealing to players seeking the stirrup look both before and after donning their full uniform.
In the prior attempts to create a one-piece sock which simulates the combined appearance of the stirrup and the sock, two ideas have been expressed in U.S. design patent. In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 242,829, a one-piece garment combining some features of the simulated stirrup on a sock is displayed. In U.S. Pat. No. Des. 254,101, similar features are shown, with the added characteristic of having a side stripe simulating a stirrup strap and shown extending to the bottom of the foot portion of the sock. While it is possible to produce the socks described in the patents in previously available manufacturing systems, the cost of this manufacture was excessive. A comparison is that the machine preparation time of the old system could be as much as forty (40) hours compared to less than one (1) hour for the system associated with the present invention. Also, the rate of production of the prior system was of the order of twenty-four (24) pairs per machine per eight (8) hour shift compared to approximately eighty (80) pairs per machine per eight (8) hour shift with the present invention. Therefore, the present invention adds both a factor of economy of production for the maker and economy of purchase for the buyer.
Therefore, a primary object of the invention is to create a sock which simulates the appearance of the original two garment sock-stirrup system as worn, without the attendant problems.
An additional object of the invention is to create a sock which creates the appearance of a stirrup being worn over the sock while having all the convenience and comfort associated with a single sock.
A further object is to create a sock having the appearance of a combination stirrup and sock but which is more economical to manufacture and to purchase.
Additional objects of the invention will become apparent from the following description.